Take My Spirit, Take Me Away
by lauriejay
Summary: Chihiro decides to go back to the world she felt she completely belonged in, and missed with all of her heart. But when she makes a risky move to leave her old life behind for what others called only a dream, she awaits to see if her new life will live up to expectations, or if it will turn into a nightmare.
1. 1 The Escape

"Mom, please. I just need to go out, okay? I'll talk to you soon."

"But you just got back from school yesterday! And it's so hot out! Oh, do be careful, Chihiro. Please. You know I don't like you wandering around all the time. Do you need the car?"

"Mom, I'm 20. I think I'm old enough to go out on my own, but no, thanks, I'll take my bike."

I hopped onto my rusty pink bike, threw my backpack into the bent woven basket, and waved to my mother as she stepped out onto the front porch. Sunflowers popped over the white picket fence, and as I rode away, they blocked me from seeing my mother any further.

The dirt road was a bumpy one, but I was ready for what was to come. I made sure to fill my tires with a good amount of air the night before in preparation.

The dirt stuck to the tires, and every bump made my backpack bounce up in the air. It was a hot day, around 88 degrees Fahrenheit, but it was worth the trip. I knew that I wouldn't be back right away, and that Mom would need the car. She always went out.

No one remembers that day, except for me. I tried asking Dad about it once.

_"Hey Dad, remember when we went to the forest way down the road, around 10 years ago?"_

_ "Yeah, the day we moved in, right?"_

_ "Exactly. Do you remember anything about, an old, abandoned amusement park building?"_

_ "Hmm… doesn't ring a bell, kiddo. Sorry, but I really have to get back to my work."_

And that was that.

"Hey, Chihiro!"

A pickup truck passed me as a trekked up the hill into the woods, and pulled over. I stopped to turn around and saw a familiar face. I wiped the sweat on my forehead with the back of my hand and pulled down the kicked stand, walking over to the truck.

"Kaito! How are you?" I hugged him, and he let go, smiling at me.

"It's been great, how's school? It's been so long since I've seen you. Since we-"

"Graduated together. I know! It's unbelievable how time flies."

"Yeah, really. So," he looked at me, then down the road at my bike. "What brings you in this heat towards the forest, hm?"

"I, uh, wanted to picnic out here today and see some sights."

"Well I just came from there, and there's nothing really to see but some dirt and trees."

"Why were you over there then, Kaito?"

"You'll make fun of me."

"No, I will not!"

"Fine!"

He reached in through his opened driver window and pulled out a notepad. He handed it to me, and I flipped through it delicately.

There were drawings of the forest, and shrines placed all over the road. There were birds in full color, and the tallest trees I had ever seen. When I got to the last page, I flinched.

"Chihiro, you okay?"

"Oh, yeah. They're just so beautiful."

It was a drawing of the arch from that day so long ago, but it had vines overgrown onto it, and trees covering the entrance to what was beyond. The statue in front of the opening remained completely intact as it had before.

I handed the book back to him.

"Those are great, Kaito! Really great!"

My hands were shaking; with fear of not being able to get in, and excitement to see what awaited.

"Alright, well it was great seeing you. I gotta head home, my granfather's going to be wanting lunch."

I laughed and gave him a good-bye hug.

"We should hang out this summer while you're on break!"

"Sounds great! I'll give you a call!"

He hopped back into his truck as I walked towards my bike, and beeped the car horn as he screeched down the dirt path.

Little did he know that I wasn't going to come back.


	2. 2 From Darkness to Daylight

While driving up the road, the further I went, the cooler it got, and soon my pace began to quicken. There were so many turns and twists that I felt I had gotten lost. It was a long, winding road, and I felt almost hopeless that I would find the place. Birds chirped, almost mimicking me, and soon, I stopped and sat down on the side of the road, reaching into my backpack for my bottle of water.

I looked around, trying to spark any signs from my past that would lead me to my future home. Green surrounded me, and further away I could hear a small creek inviting me closer. I was there, and so close I could almost feel the wind alluring me in one direction.

I put the bottle back in the bag and decided to ride until I possibly couldn't anymore. My butt was beginning to feel sore, and the sun was moving closer towards the west. If I lost my daylight, I would need to either return home or sleep in the unpredictable woods.

"I really could use a sign, right now," I muttered angrily out loud.

The wind blew stronger, almost pulling me forward.

"Whoa, well, okay."

I followed the wind as it thrust me forward, and when I came to another fork in the road, it leaded me down to a familiar path. Shrines lined the outside of the road, and when I saw it, I stopped right in my tracks, holding my bike and myself up with one leg.

There stood the tunnel that I had been searching for. It was covered in greenery, and flowers bloomed in its cracks. The wind continued to pull me forward, begging me to come and see what it had to offer.

"Hello?"

I hopped off the bike, throwing its kickstand down into the dirt, and walked closer to inspect the trees that blocked the tunnel. I touched their trunks, bending in waves, and their rugged exterior felt cool and moist under my fingertips.

I leaned in further to see if I could see any further between the cracks, but there was only complete darkness behind them. I turned to the statue stoutly standing before the great tunnel.

"It's me," I whispered. "It's Chihiro. Friends, I've come back for you."

Birds cawed from above.

"Hello?" I spoke louder. "Somebody! It's me, Chihiro!"

Suddenly, the guardian statues eyes glowed a feint green, and I stepped aback, trying to understand what was going on. The trees began to sink into the ground viciously and violently, whipping back and forth and shedding a few old dead leaves. I flinched a little, stepping away and covering my face in case a loose branch fell and hit me.

When the sounds of the rustling went away, I opened my eyes, and the tunnel was exposed right in front of me. I looked down at the statue and its glow had receded. I bowed down to it to pay my respects.

"Thank you Guardian, for showing me the way."

I looked at my bike, something that I wouldn't need where I was going, and felt a pang in my heart for abandoning it, and the life around me.

I turned back towards the dark tunnel, and cautiously submerged myself into darkness.

I felt the walls down the tunnel until I could see the end of it and a feint glow emitted from a candle. It lit up the small space, and as I came closer to it, more and more candles magically sparked to ignition. The room was how I remembered it; it had cement for walls, and they curved around, arching throughout the room. I could hear the river right outside the end of the tunnel. It smelled musty, and as I looked closer there were vines overgrown throughout the place, cracking some of the cement and pushing its way into the privacy of the darkness.

I took a deep breath, and realized how long it really had been since I had been back. I longed for the river, and knew that I had to hurry if I had any hope of crossing over to the spirit world.

I felt the walls of the tunnel once more, feeling its rough, sandpapery texture, and looked back to see the candles slowly fading. I took a step out into the beams of the fiery sunset, and the light behind me shut out; I had walked out of my gloomy past, and into my bright future.

_***Thanks for reading everybody! Hope you like it! I know the chapters are short right now, but they'll get longer, I promise. It's just the intro into the spirit world. Please review and let me know what you think! I would appreciate it. Thanks fans! :)**_


	3. 3 Homeward Bound

I reached the river and the water had already begun to rise. The sun was melting slowly in the distance, and I knew that if I didn't get across before dark I would have had to go back to my house when my mind was already set on leaving.

"Well," I said to myself, taking off my backpack, sneakers, and socks and holding them high above my head. "Let's get this over with."

When I walked into the river, the water was surprisingly crisp and clean. It wasn't too cold, but brisk and comfortable, giving me a sweet chill of excitement to fuel my walking. It smelled like I did the day it rained, where everything turned out to look like the sea.

"Phew. I'm here. I'm in the spirit world."

I stepped out onto the pavement to see the little shops on either side ahead of me. They were dull and lifeless from where I could see, and it was very quiet and no one was around.

"Hello?" I questioned, slipping on my sneakers and socks and shaking off the excess water. "Is anybody here?"

As I walked down the path, flipping my backpack over my shoulders, I noticed that the place seemed even larger than it had been the last time I had seen it. It expanded to the left, and right, and up ahead the bathhouse towered over the once small village. It was sitting higher on a hill, and it was taller. More floors seemed to have been added, and higher than that had incomplete construction for even more add ons. I was impressed.

_Yubaba must have made a lot more money after I left. She's been doing well. I wonder how he is…_

I felt that if I went to the bridge where I first saw him, I would find him there.

I pulled down my ponytail so that my hair lay softly on my shoulders. It grew out very quickly, and it had gotten darker since the last time I had been there. My hair was almost touching my butt, and I twirled it around my finger as it spread out over my backpack.

I walked through the town, turning to the small place where my mother and father had been turned into pigs. It seemed so long ago, and so distant.

Walking up stone stairs allowed me to see the bathhouse for how large it really was up close. The bridge, untouched by construction, was laying right in front of me, dragging me and inviting me in closer to see what it had to offer.

I went to the side of the bridge and looked down to see the water filling up fast. The sun was almost down, and I knew there was no turning back.

"It's…not possible."

I turned to see him. _Him._ And I was speechless.

"How… how are you here?"

"Kohaku, I know you told me never to turn back around, but-"

"I can't believe it's you. Ch-chihiro. It's really you."

"I know I know it's me, but I wanted to tell you-"

He walked right up to me, and held my hair in his hands.

"You got so… old."

"Okay really Kohaku. Listen to me. Okay?"

His face was really close to mine, but he didn't let go of my hair. He looked older too. His hair was shorter than it had been, but long enough on top to wisp up when the wind brushed it. He was much, much taller than me, and his shoulder had widened out to make him look like he worked very hard. His smiled still glistened as it always had, and his eyes deepened with concern as he waited for me to speak.

I blushed as I took in his appearance.

"Kohaku… I came back because I was unhappy where I used to be. I came back because I wanted to be where my friends are. I came back because I wanted... to see you."

He stepped back a bit, but then gave me a softer smile, closing his eyes. He looked so much more at peace than when I had left him, and he let go of my hair to slide down my arm and to my hand.

"Let's go home, Chihiro."

I willingly followed him across the bridge, before the sunset, and before the creatures that had once known me as a human monster realized that I had come back to where I belonged.

****Hey everyone! Thanks for the reads I really appreciate it! Fellow fans, I hope to continue writing my two main stories, so please enjoy! Review, favorite, and follow! It means the world to me :)****


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